Hull City are hopeful they will retain the services of Tommy Elphick for the entire Championship season, despite Aston Villa holding the option to cut the defender’s loan deal short in January.

Elphick has quickly become an influential figure for the Tigers since his arrival on deadline day, starting each of the last 11 Championship fixtures in Nigel Adkins’ defence.

The 31-year-old’s form, coupled with Dean Smith replacing Steve Bruce at the Villa helm, has triggered fears that he could be recalled but the current expectation is that Elphick will be allowed to stay with the Tigers until the end of the season.

Sources in the Midlands have indicated that Villa’s preference is to recruit at least one new defender in January as Smith plans to launch a promotion drive in the second half of the season.

Tommy Elphick of Hull City

A recall for Elphick cannot be ruled out until reinforcements are found by Villa in the January transfer window but it is considered improbable that City will lose their most experienced defender.

It is understood that Elphick’s preference is also to remain at the KCOM Stadium.

The centre-half is desperate to play regularly in the Championship as he approaches the end of his contract in the summer and that could not be guaranteed at Villa, a club where he has only started 24 league games during a two-and-a-half-year spell on their books.

Adkins has provided Elphick with the action he has craved in the last two months and the defender spoke of his gratitude towards City’s head coach last week.

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“I’m really fortunate to have come to the club when I did, to be working with the manager. He’s exactly what I needed,” said Elphick.

“I had a long time not getting regular football, getting pulled from pillar to post a little bit. I was built up, used and then dropped again. It wasn’t a nice environment for me to be in. This was a chance and the gaffer had to take a chance on me. Hopefully I can repay him.”

Smith sent his assistant Richard O’Kelly to watch Elphick when the Tigers lost 1-0 at Bristol City last month, with the Villa boss suggesting it was “prudent… to make sure we’re in touch” with players out on loan.

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Although Elphick made a costly error in City’s 3-3 draw away to Birmingham, gifting Che Adams the first goal in his hat-trick, the defender’s arrival has coincided with the Tigers making huge strides at the back.

Three clean sheets have come since Elphick made his debut in the 2-0 win over Ipswich, with Adkins’ men leaking only 13 goals in the 11 games started by the former Brighton and Bournemouth man.